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Nature meets numbers: How BS ISO 14054:2025 is redefining the value of the planet
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Nature meets numbers: How BS ISO 14054:2025 is redefining the value of the planet

The natural world is not just a backdrop to economic activity; it is the foundation. Forests, clean air, water systems and biodiversity underpin the stability and prosperity of societies and businesses alike. Recognizing this, the new international standard BS ISO 14054:2025 Natural capital accounting for organizations - Principles, requirements and guidance offers a ground-breaking framework to account for nature’s role in business operations.  Developed from the UK-led BS 8632 and involving stakeholders across 63 countries, BS ISO 14054:2025 helps organizations systematize and disclose their impacts and dependencies on nature, making the invisible visible. A comprehensive framework for natural capital accounting At its core, BS ISO 14054:2025 guides organizations in preparing natural capital accounts by integrating financial, environmental, and socio-economic information into a structured, decision-support framework. The standard promotes transparency and repeatability by requiring clear documentation of scope, data sources, quality, assumptions and methodologies used, helping to ensure consistent and credible results. Rather than prescribing fixed outputs, the standard enables the preparation of various natural capital accounts tailored to the organization’s needs, which may include formats similar to: Natural Capital Income Statement (NCIS): shows the impacts and dependencies of the activities of the organization and its value chain over the past financial reporting period. Natural Capital Balance Sheet (NCBS): shows future impacts and dependencies of the organization and its value chain on natural capital. These tools allow organizations to understand, monitor, and communicate how their activities affect and depend on nature, supporting improved strategic planning, risk management, and investment decisions. While frameworks like ISSB (International Sustainability Standards Board), TNFD (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures) and CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) set the direction of travel, they often stop short of providing the methodological details that organizations need. BS ISO 14054:2025 addresses this gap. It delivers: Structured, auditable processes for natural capital accounting. Clear definitions for scoping and boundaries. Integrated outputs that connect financial, social and environmental data. It aligns with the UN System of Environmental-Economic Accounting – Ecosystem Accounting (UN SEEA-EA) and supports long-term organizational alignment with global sustainability targets. BS ISO 14054:2025 aligns with BSI’s wider Nature Investment Standards Programme, which supports the integration of nature into economic and financial decision-making. Discover more here. Translating nature’s value across industries and sectors BS ISO 14054:2025 is designed to be sector-neutral and scalable. It applies to organizations of all types - public, private, non-profit - and all sizes, from SMEs to multinational corporations. Whether operating in manufacturing, finance, agriculture, retail, or services, organizations can adopt the standard to better understand their ecological footprint and business continuity risks. Groups of organizations that share dependencies on natural resources, such as those operating within the same landscape or watershed, can also use the standard to produce joint accounts, enhancing collaboration and collective action. Explore how standards are shaping sustainable change across sectors by visiting our Net Zero Topic Page. Designed for impact: How BS ISO 14054 serves all stakeholders The strength of BS ISO 14054:2025 lies in the benefits it can bring across all professional domains: For Business Leaders and Boards: The standard empowers CEOs, CFOs and executives to integrate nature into strategic planning. It offers insights into long-term risk exposure and value creation opportunities linked to natural assets. For Government and Policymakers: Natural capital accounts can inform public procurement, guide the allocation of public funds and support policies for sustainable economic growth. For SMEs: By tracking natural resource use, smaller enterprises can identify inefficiencies, reduce costs, enhance brand value and access new markets — all with a view to long-term resilience. For Investors and Financial Institutions: Fund managers and banks gain a standardized means to compare organizations’ nature-related risks and impacts, aligning investment strategies with environmental goals. For NGOs and Civil Society: The framework provides common ground for collaboration with businesses and governments on conservation, restoration and sustainable development. For Risk, Finance and Sustainability Teams: The standard offers tools to identify and quantify material risks and opportunities associated with natural capital, enabling more comprehensive decision-making and stakeholder communication. For Assurance Providers: By establishing verifiable processes and outputs, the standard opens the door for audits and second-party assurance, bolstering the credibility of environmental claims. Supporting standards and publications To support its adoption, BS ISO 14054:2025 is designed to integrate with a suite of related standards, including: BS EN ISO 14001 Environmental management systems. Requirements with guidance for use BS EN ISO 14007 Environmental management. Guidelines for determining environmental costs and benefits BS EN ISO 14008 Monetary valuation of environmental impacts and related environmental aspects BS EN ISO 14064 Series Greenhouse gases BS ISO 14072 Environmental management. Life cycle assessment BS EN ISO 26000 Guidance on social responsibility BS 8950 Social value. Understanding and enhancing. Guide PAS 808 Purpose-driven organizations. Worldviews, principles and behaviours for delivering sustainability. Guide These complementary publications provide a broader foundation for organizations seeking to embed sustainability at every level. Towards a more integrated understanding of value BS ISO 14054:2025 does not introduce the idea of valuing nature as something entirely new.  Many professionals - environmental economists, sustainability practitioners and others - have long worked to understand and integrate natural capital into decision-making. What the standard offers is a structured way to bring together diverse data, perspectives and existing practices into a consistent and transparent accounting process. Rather than measuring or valuing nature directly, the standard helps organizations organize and communicate how their activities depend on and impact natural capital, informing decisions that support both business performance and environmental stewardship. As more organizations seek to align with sustainability and resilience goals, BS ISO 14054:2025 provides a practical tool for embedding natural capital thinking into core operations, not as a trend, but as part of a well-established and evolving discipline. Ready to embed nature into your business decisions? Get your copy of BS ISO 14054:2025 today and take the next step in your sustainability journey.Read more
BS ISO 32210: A sustainable finance standard for a greener future
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BS ISO 32210: A sustainable finance standard for a greener future

Sustainable finance is at the heart of solving the biggest global challenges that confront us today – including the transition to a sustainable global society. BS ISO 32210 is a new international standard that has been developed to help businesses embed sustainability principles into their financial activity. Today, there are a growing number of financial products and services that claim to be sustainable. However, until now, there have been no global standards that cover sustainable finance in its totality. As a result, companies are struggling with a lack of reliable practices and guidance on integrating sustainability and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) considerations in their financial decision-making. This lack of consistency and assurance within the market has created an environment of distrust and confusion from consumers and businesses alike when it comes to sustainability claims. International standards are essential for mobilizing finance globally to address environmental and social imperatives and ensure future prosperity. BS ISO 32210 Sustainable finance. Guidance on the application of sustainability principles for organizations in the financial sector is a new international standard that helps firms in the finance industry to integrate sustainability considerations including environmental, social and governance practices (ESG) in the financing of their economic activities. Standardizing sustainable finance with BS ISO 32210 BSI’s Nature Investment Standards Programme was set up with the aim of encouraging a wider uptake of sustainable finance practices, behaviours, thinking, products and services, while helping organizations from the financial sector align themselves with the global UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Part of this programme included developing globally relevant, consensus-based standards on sustainable finance through the establishment and secretariat of a new international committee ISO/TC 322, Sustainable Finance. This committee of experts is charged with creating standards that help to facilitate a sustainable investment market. One of their achievements is BS ISO 32210. Developed in collaboration with a vast stakeholder community and built upon existing efforts and initiatives, it aims to support financial organizations globally. This standard sets out principles and practices to support financial organizations to enable positive environmental and social outcomes, risk mitigation and deliver sustainable value. It provides a framework for organizations that wish to be sustainable and better aligned with global initiatives. The framework recognizes that transformation is needed to equip the industry to address issues including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, prosperity, peace, and justice. BS ISO 32210 outlines the key sustainable finance principles which form the core elements of this standard. The principles are aimed at supporting organizations in aligning their business strategy and operations with sustainability goals and objectives that are material to the organization and its stakeholders. To implement its guidance effectively, organizations are recommended to begin by addressing the key elements of the principles starting with ‘governance and culture’ and ‘strategy alignment and objectives’. They can then work through the others. Using the concept of continual improvement and enhancing ambition, organizations can use this BS ISO 32210 to improve sustainability performance and outcomes. Learn how our standards are supporting the UK’s progression to net zero by visiting our Net Zero Topic Page. Which organizations should use BS ISO 32210? The adoption of BS ISO 32210 helps businesses to provide greater consistency and reliability in how sustainability (and ESG) considerations are integrated into their investment decision-making. Its guidance also helps to improve transparency and investor confidence, providing a means for organizations to demonstrate practices are sustainable and responsible. BS ISO 32210 has been designed for organizations to use regardless of their level of expertise or capacity. It can therefore be adopted by any business active in the financial sector, including: Direct lenders and investors Asset managers Financial service providers Beyond financial institutions and intermediaries, BS ISO 32210 can be used by other parties in the financial sector too. These include providers or recipients of sustainable finance, governmental organizations, public and private sector, business entities, industry associations, financial market regulators, and supervisory and control bodies. Other sustainable finance standards In 2021,PD ISO/TR 32220 Sustainable finance. Basic concepts and key initiatives was launched. Together with BS ISO 32210, it consolidates concepts that exist and agree common terminology and international best practice and guidelines for the industry. Both these standards provide a platform from which organizations involved in sustainable investment can develop their products further and enable more players to enter the market. These standards also complement ISO14097 Framework including principles and requirements for assessing and reporting investments and financing activities related to climate change, which helps financiers assess and report on their actions and see the real value of their contribution to climate goals. Over 100,000 more internationally recognized standards are available for simple and flexible access with a BSI Knowledge subscription. When facing the pressure of increasing your positive outcomes for the benefit of future generations, our subscription service puts the control in your hands. With traceability to monitor and demonstrate your business's compliance to standards and self-serve functionality that enables you to manage your standards, users can access standard content quickly and simply. Request to learn more. Make improvements and increase trust in the sustainable resilience of your financial activities, by adding BS ISO 32210 to your collection today.
Compliance management: Setting the standard in financial services
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Compliance management: Setting the standard in financial services

Standards are used across the financial services industry to help institutions and retail businesses manage their internal and external risks and ensure customers are treated fairly. This is done by implementing industry-agreed processes and procedures that allow the adoption of the right level of behaviour and professionalism. For regulated firms, the significance of effective compliance management has been emphasized by major regulatory breaches in recent years that have occurred on a global scale relating to wholesale, retail, and investment markets.  Rogue trading, insider dealing, mis-selling, and failures in Anti-Money Laundering procedures can have major impacts on firms, their customers, investors, and shareholders. Consequentially, firms are seeking to improve their internal systems and controls through additional investment. When compliance is well managed, it helps organizations to detect and prevent breaches, thus reducing their risk of fines and lawsuits. BS ISO 37301:2021 is about implementing an ongoing compliance management system and obtaining a better understanding of good compliance. It specifies requirements and provides guidelines for establishing, developing, implementing, evaluating, maintaining, and improving an effective compliance management system within an organization. In addition to the requirements, which follow the ISO high-level structure, BS ISO 37301:2021’s annexes provide excellent guidance for those interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the need for, and benefits of, good compliance. In 2011, BSI published a British Standard BS 8453:2011 Compliance Framework for regulated financial services firms, developed by industry experts and compliance practitioners to help establish, manage and maintain an effective compliance function. BS 8453:2011 takes a risk-based approach to managing compliance through the implementation of an effective compliance framework. The compliance department needs the support of senior management to prevent regulatory breaches and be truly effective.  How do standards help financial organizations manage compliance risk? Standards, such as BS ISO 37301:2021 and BS 8453:2011, provide best-practice compliance frameworks designed for financial services.  They offer practical advice and guidelines to help firms develop a compliance culture from the top-down, reducing risk to you and your investors, by specifying overarching policies, procedures, and methods for operating a compliance framework within a regulated financial services firm.  The benefits of using BS ISO 37301:2021 include: It brings together the organization’s key structures, policies, processes, and procedures, making compliance management more efficient It helps organizations better understand their context, business operations, obligations, and compliance risks, and implement reasonable steps to meet their obligations It prevents or enables the early detection of rules violations, decreasing the risk of fines, penalties, work shutdowns, lawsuits, and reputational damage It can help ensure that organizations act lawfully and conduct their operations ethically, in line with social responsibility commitments. Adopting these standards allows your organization to work with confidence – knowing that you’re using a set of best-practice systems and controls. The extent to which the requirements of the standard are applicable to an individual firm depends on the nature, size, and complexity of the firm’s business. To learn more about protecting your financial service business from risk and building organizational resilience, click here.  What is a compliance culture? BS 8453:2011 defines a compliance framework as a “series of activities across a firm that, when implemented together, help to ensure compliance”.  To be a compliant organization within the financial and professional services industry, a firm’s governing body, through policies and appropriate training, must articulate the core values which underpin the firm’s relationships with its clients, customers, counterparties, authorities, industry, and markets. These will define the behaviours expected of its staff thereby establishing a compliance culture that promotes integrity in all aspects of an organization’s business. A compliance culture can be promoted by, among other things, mission statements and codes of conduct. A firm’s governing body and senior managers should work with the compliance function and others to drive the culture, identify deficiencies in their business culture and provide solutions. Other key standards in the financial services industry The financial services industry has long embraced standards to simplify integration between service providers and clients. The following titles are also key to organizations in the financial services industry: Information security management – BS EN ISO/IEC 27001 Business continuity management – BS EN ISO 22301:2019 Complaints handling guidelines – BS ISO 10002:2018 Data protection – BS 10012:2017 Compliance Risk Management - BS ISO 37301:2021 Legal Risk Management – BS ISO 31022:2020 Financial advice and planning services – BS 8577:2012 Inclusive service provision – BS 18477:2010 Protect your financial services business from compliance risks by adding the standard BS ISO 37301:2021 to your collection today. Discover BSI Knowledge BS 8453 and over 100,000 more internationally recognized standards are available for simple and flexible access with a BSI Knowledge subscription. In your trust-critical industry, our subscription service puts the control in your hands, with traceability to monitor and demonstrate your business's compliance to standards, and self-serve functionality that enables you to manage your subscriptions, standards, users, and content quickly and simply. Request to learn more.
Introducing PAS 7342: A new benchmark for sustainable investment funds
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Introducing PAS 7342: A new benchmark for sustainable investment funds

The growing demand for sustainable finance has transformed the investment landscape, but it has also introduced new challenges, particularly around transparency and accountability. Amid concerns about the misrepresentation of sustainability credentials, the newly published PAS 7342:2025 Sustainable investment funds – design, implementation, monitoring and communication of sustainability attributes – Specification offers a much-needed framework of good practice. This standard is the latest in a suite of sustainable finance initiatives sponsored jointly by industry and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). PAS 7342 sets out clear requirements for fund managers to design, manage, and communicate sustainable investment funds responsibly, providing critical tools to ensure funds align with their stated objectives and maintain investor confidence. The growing importance of standards in sustainable finance The rapid growth of sustainable investments, driven by heightened awareness of ESG issues and net-zero goals, has underscored the need for robust standards to ensure transparency and accountability. Greenwashing has emerged as a significant problem, prompting regulators like the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to introduce frameworks such as the Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR) and investment labels. The PAS is designed to complement SDR but places a greater emphasis on the building blocks and practicalities of investing sustainably.  This includes directing fund managers to convey the changeable nature of investing, and to document - in ‘sustainability policy’ information – the ‘issues’ a fund considers, and the ‘approaches’ the fund employs. Learn more about how standards are supporting financial services organizations here. What PAS 7342 covers Building on earlier standards like PAS 7340 (now BS ISO 32210) and PAS 7341, PAS 7342 applies to individual funds, whether they involve single-asset investments, multi-asset portfolios, or fund-of-fund structures. Key areas covered in it include: Designing sustainable investment strategies Requirements for creating and documenting strategies, objectives, policies and approaches, including the naming of funds and alignment with stated sustainability objectives. Communicating intent and outcomes Clear articulation of a fund’s aims, objectives, and intended impacts, with transparency around the policies guiding investment decisions. Governance and monitoring Emphasis on robust governance processes for investment selection, stewardship activities, and ongoing monitoring to ensure alignment with sustainability claims.  Verification and labelling Guidance on assembling evidence and demonstrating the validity of sustainability-related claims, aiding in the selection, categorization and labelling of funds.  Intermediary and investor communication Tools for fund managers to demonstrate to financial advisers, portfolio managers, and investors that a fund meets its published sustainability criteria, along with protocols for addressing queries and complaints. Who should use the new PAS 7342 fund standard? PAS 7342 is designed primarily for fund managers but is also highly relevant to the broader investment ecosystem, including: Financial intermediaries: Wealth managers, portfolio planners, and independent financial advisers can use the standard to assess and represent sustainable funds accurately. Regulators and policymakers: Provides a benchmark for what good practice looks like. Investors: Offers insights into what they should expect from sustainable funds, helping them make informed decisions and align their investments with their values. What are the benefits of sustainable fund PAS 7342? PAS 7342 benefits include: Combating greenwashing: PAS 7342 provides clear guidance on how sustainable funds should align their practices with their advertised strategies, reducing the risk of misleading claims. Enhanced transparency: The standard ensures that investors and intermediaries have access to reliable information about a fund’s sustainability objectives, governance, and outcomes. Building investor confidence: By establishing industry-wide good practice, PAS 7342 fosters trust in sustainable investment products, encouraging greater participation from retail and institutional investors. Supporting regulatory alignment: Complementing the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Sustainability Disclosure Requirements, the standard is consistent with regulatory frameworks and offers clear guidance in relation to sustainable investments. Encouraging innovation: The non-prescriptive nature of the standard encourages fund managers to explore new and innovative approaches to sustainability, while adhering to a clear framework for transparency and accountability. Download PAS 7342 today and gain the tools to design, implement, and communicate sustainable investment strategies with confidence. Develop a standard with BSI Elevate your sustainability journey and drive positive environmental impact by sponsoring the development of a fast-track standard tailored to your industry's needs. A fast-track standard establishes good practices for products, services, and processes. To find out more download our brochure here or contact us.

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